1 horse power :-(

[Jimb0]

Got some sad news today of a lady who keeps some horses on a field just off our driveway.

Last weekend she was in the field which she shares with her friend who also keeps a horse on it. She was tacking her horse up when the other horse in the field started to get a bit frisky, her horse must have got a bit upset and made a move, the unrestrained horse then kicked out catching the lady clean in the face.

I wasn't aware about how strong a horse is, but logically thinking now they have a fair bit of power in their back legs. The lady suffered extremely horrific damage, basically smashing every bone in her face.

Fortunately she was found by a passing farmer who took her back to his house, but on route came across one of my neighbours down the road who he stopped and asked if he had a phone so they could ring the hospital; the guy must have looked at the lady and passed out.

Very saddened about this news as she

[WrightyRS]

That must have been a very difficult and shocking experience,not been in a situation as bad as that.

Had to stop a very good friend of mine taking his crash helmet off and moving once when he crashed his motorbike,he had blood running down from inside of his crash helmet and he was very dis-orientated.

was a very disturbing 15mins waiting for the Amdulance to arrive and a time i will never forget.

hope all turns out OK.

[WW_VRS]

OMG - hope she'll recover ok and that she can have some plastic surgeon 'help' on the NHS, they may do for this kind of thing.

Must admit I can imagine the fainting thing, may only have been 1 hp but considering all it was moving was a hoof (sp?) the impact must have been very hard :(

[heresmo]

Hi Jimb0

I read your post in the early hours. I didn't know what to say then, and I don't know what to say now.

Just lots of hugs all round :hug:

Mo

[Silber_Igel]

Man, that's terrible.

Having kept and ridden horses for 30 years I know they can be a lot of fun, work and hazard. Injuries are common place when hanging around these big guys. As my insurance man said.."they are more dangerous than motor cycles!" Horses, even small ones, are incredibly powerful animals. You just don't know how powerful they are until you've been around them when they toss a fit. We had one kick the side of a stall and split a 1 1/2" oak board!

Not the first time I've heard of this happening and the damage is usually really terrible. Come to think of it, I nearly bought a face shot myself many years ago under nearly the same circumstance... one minute all calm and peacful and the next mayhem!!! and I was looking closely at the bottom of a rear hoof at full extension as it missed my face by 3 or 4 inches. So close I could smell the bottom of his hoof!!! About 2 minutes after it happened I was shakin' like a leaf especially after considering how lucky I was to have not been kicked in the face.

Years ago the son of our hospital commander got kicked in the chest trying to get a horse into its stall. It ruptured his aorta and he died in his father's (who was a surgeon) arms. The Colonel was never the same.

The teaching point, "hosses rear ends are like propellers...always ALIVE!" Never get behind a horse (no matter how gentle) unless your shoulder is pressed right against their haunch and butt. That way if they kick they will "push" you out of rather than "hitting" you with a fully extended leg. You'll probably get banged up but not terribly hurt.

Damn, I really hate to hear of someone getting injured while trying to have a good time with their animal. That just sucks!!

Hope she mends well!!! Please tell her that every one is wishing her a speedy and full recovery!!!

[Silber_Igel]

Jimbo!!

How's that lady doing? Any news? Honestly, I was thinking about this all night....

[Smithy vRS]

[Jimb0]

No news as yet, she’s still in hospital, its made me really wary now as we have a horse ourselves, his name is Dominic and he’s 28, he’s just a pet really, too old to ride, still as strong/stronger than an ox..

I don’t think were going to be seeing much of the lady for a while :( In fact as a result my neighbour has just got rid of three horses she was looking after from a sanctuary as they were a bit wild. Its one of those things you've heard of but it won’t ever happen to you.

Its been freaking me out every time I think of it :/ oh how we are lucky to be all relatively fit and well. Puts the 'I wish I had my vrs chipped' wish in perspective.

[Kalypso]

Another horse owner, too, and one that hopes your friend is going to be ok...

The thoughts of the force and subsequent injuries from that kick are just horrid :(

[pbirkett]

Personally, I cant stand horses... they should all be made into dog food and prit-sticks.

I saw a good friend get attacked by a stray one that had escaped from somewhere.

Horrible smelly pointless animals.

Sorry to hear about that, BTW.

[devonutopia]

I haven't been keen on horses since I went pony trekking and my "pony" (it felt like a horse to me ) jumped over a stream instead of walking through.... Scared me half to death - more the lack of control I had, than the actual leap.

I like petting a horse, as long as its over a fence - there's just something about them I don't trust 100% - seen my Mum get bitten badly once. Memories like that mean more than anything else to me.

[Tom_vRS]

I'm totally spechless... I cannot imagine how terrible this kind of accident is...:eek:

Can only hope the poor girl recovers :(

:hug:

[Silber_Igel]

Jimb0 & Kalypso,

I understand your safety concerns perfectly. After getting stepped on and mashed against a stall wall early on, I learned that you have to always be about 3 seconds ahead of the horse. After awhile I was able to "read" them pretty well and was able to stay out of any "fireworks." Lucky mostly....

I developed a couple simple rules... always stay tight on the business end; never get between one and an open stall door (especially when their agitated), don't get in a stall with an agitated animal, never get in a bear hug with a horse, and if your sixth sense is telling you that there's an issue...there IS!!! best listen and take the smarter and safe way.

For the most part, horses aren't really mean sprited but they do learn unacceptable behavior and then its a problem since they are so big and so strong that its easy for them to get their way.

28 year old horse, eh? Gosh, when I moved to Texas last July, I left an old boy back in Maryland in the care of a friend. He was about 27! and was still "motoring on" with good health and with the good care and TLC he's getting he'll probably make it to 30 barring any health problems. He was a great guy and had a very sweet disposition. Stood maybe 17 hands and probably weighed in around 1100 lbs.

Cheers!

[Laguna_man]

Look on it like this. A smashed face is terrible, but she could have had her neck broken or ended up with barin damage from a massive blow to the head like this. I do not hold with horse riding. Had a place in the past but it is really just a form of animal cruelty now.